


Major the Mutt

by Squiggle_giggle



Category: The Night Shift (TV 2014)
Genre: Dog - Freeform, Fluff, Funny, Germanshepherd, Humor, M/M, Soldiers, puppy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:28:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24556210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squiggle_giggle/pseuds/Squiggle_giggle
Summary: 3x01"Rick got a dog!"A quick back story of Drew finding out about his new pet. How Rick broke the news that they were now owners of a gorgeous German Shepherd Puppy.
Relationships: Drew Alister/Rick Lincoln
Comments: 10
Kudos: 69





	Major the Mutt

Drew was sitting in the Rec area of the army base, waiting by the desktop computer, stretching and yawning as the modem slowly sprung to life. The doctor had a skype date with Rick, though he had only been deployed for a week, he missed seeing his husband's face every day.

Where Drew was deployed, it was a nine-hour time zone difference, 9 am in Texas, 5 pm in Afghanistan. So, Rick would have finished his night shift now and would be getting settled, while Drew was working a split shift today, 12 pm to 4:30 then 7:00 pm until 12 am. It would vary from week to week depending on the soldiers' missions and incoming injuries but for the moment he liked it. He got to spend a decent amount of time talking to Rick and other friends back home which wasn't a luxury he has had before.

Yawning and stretching his tired arms, the little jingle startled him as it loudly rang through the headset on his ears. He quickly accepted the call, waited for the buffering and distortion to disappear before Rick's handsome face appeared.

"Hey,"

"Hey there," Drew greeted, while he quickly assessed his husband. He wasn't too worried, Rick could normally take care of himself, knew how to cook enough so he wouldn't starve, knew how to keep the house modestly clean but when it came to the washing machine… even with years of army training it still hadn't helped.

On the Brightside Rick looked well, a little tired, a five o'clock shadow smattering his features which Drew would love to get his hands on but he looked happy, oddly happy for some reason.

"You look tired."

"Gee, thanks," Drew replied sarcastically, rubbing the bags under his eyes as if that would make them dissipate.

"Hot but tired," Rick corrected which caused the doctor to chuckle.

"How was work?" Drew asked conversationally.

"Good, really good actu- "before Rick could finish his sentence, there was a loud crash and a scuttling noise coming from the other side of the loungeroom. Rick's eyes darted to the noise, Drew trying to follow but the commotion had happened off-screen.

"What's going on?" Drew asked hurriedly when his husband just smiled at the noise and didn't move to check on the calamity.

"Promise not to get mad?"

"Oh, I stopped making that promise a long time ago," Drew told, Rick rolled his eyes and made a 'stay here' motion before getting up from his seat on the couch and walking in the direction of the kitchen. Its thirty seconds or so before Rick finally returned and when he does, he stood in front of the webcam so only his legs are visible.

"Ok before you say no, just realize, you are on the other side of the world right now and can't do anything about it," with that, Rick slowly sat down on the couch with a five-month-old German Sheppard puppy on his lap; his tongue lolling about with a dopey expression.

"No, no, no, absolutely not, no!" Drew told emphatically. The doctor's boisterous voice had garnered attention from some of the other members in the room. The puppy stared at him curiously, his little head turning curiously from side to side, tiny ears floppy from side to side. Rick held his paws and played with them.

"Come on Drew, how can you be so heartless? Look at his little face," Rick cooed, laughing excitedly when the puppy dashed its tongue out and licked his nose.

"Easily," Drew snorted, looking at the little monster on his husband's knee.

"I had to take him!" Rick defended, "he lost his job, he was going to be homeless. He can't have such a sad story at his young age."

"What do you mean he lost his job?"

"He was in training for the SWAT Team as an attack dog- "

"You brought an attack dog! "

"Let me finish!" Rick cut him off, rolling his eyes. "as I was saying, he WAS in training to become an attack dog but he failed his training. They started him young, came from a good bloodline and had potential but with all the time and effort they just couldn't get him to perform. Too interested in toys and was failed for 'not being aggressive enough'" Rick said with air quotes. "They were going to have him destroyed- "

"Destroyed?" Drew questioned, "as in- "

"Yeah," Rick answered, cutting him off as he looked down at the sleepy puppy in his arms as he scratched behind his ears. "its standard procedure apparently," Rick explained, disgust apparent in his voice. "The breeder didn't want him back and even though he failed his attack training he is still deemed as a 'vicious' dog so he would be euthanized no matter what shelter he would have been sent to."

"You're a bleeding heart," Drew grumbled, fighting a smile that was tugging at his lips. Rick smirked at him before down casting his eyes to the little fluff ball softly snoring. "this 'Police Academy Dropout' better have been free."

"Kind of," Rick mumbled quietly before coughing awkwardly, avoiding his husband's piercing gaze.

"Rick!" Drew warned, shaking his head. Jeez, he had been out of the country for a week and already his husband had got a dog and probably spent a good chunk of their savings! Maybe he should call his accountant and freeze their joint account so there would be some money left when he is Stateside once again. "How much?" Drew demanded, Rick scrubbed a hand over his mouth and his answered was muffled, "Rick?"

"Maybe… $1200," Rick muttered, not meeting Drew's eyes again. The doctor sat there stunned, processing the information, "Drew, did the connection drop out?"

"No, I'm here," Drew assured, "you spent $1200 on a reject dog? You could have gone to the pound and got him just before they were about to 'put him down' for a fraction of the cost. $1200?"

"The company bought him for $5000," Rick defended, "he has great bloodlines, microchipped, has all of his papers, vaccinations, full vet check, a good bill of health."

"Oh, what a bargain," Drew drawl sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.

"Yeah, I know!" Rick agreed, ignoring the facetious tone of the other man, "if we got a litter out of him, we could make our money back."

"Hell no!" Drew snapped, causing Rick to chuckle. Drew looked at the little pile of fluff in his husband's strong arms, chest heaving up and down peacefully as he yipped in his sleep every so often, possibly dreaming of chasing who knows what. The doctor sighed and looked at the other man tiredly, "I just wish you would have talked to me about this."

"I know," Rick accepted, smiling sadly at his husband, "you've only been gone a week but it's lonely being in the house by myself. Over there you're sharing sleeping quarters and around other soldiers all the time, you don't have time to feel alone, here… it's too quiet, coming home from work to an empty house is not something I'm used to. I miss you."

"I miss you too," Drew whispered solemnly, "doesn't mean you had to buy a $1200 dog, plenty of free ones waiting for homes."

"How could you say no to this face?" Rick asked, gently ruffling the puppy's sleeping face, showing it to the webcam the best he could. Drew puffed out a laugh at the annoyed expression the dog was giving Rick at being disturbed from his slumber, maybe the mutt wouldn't be all that bad after all.

"Easily, looks like you and I have no problem turning you down."

"Well, now you're over there all by yourself for six months with nothing but your left hand to keep you company so I bet you're regretting it."

"So does the mutt have a name?" Drew asked, choosing not to dignify the question with a response.

"There was a theme with the litter apparently," Rick explained, "names of army ranks, there was Captain, Colonial, Lieutenant, Sergeant, Commander, Soldier, Admiral and this little guy is Major."

"Major?" Drew asked, "not because he is going to be a Major pain the ass?"

"That too probably," Rick agreed jovially. Drew's attention was pulled away as one of the soldier's entered the room and told him that a Humvee with a platoon of men would be returning early and he would be needed to check them over and sign off on their post-mission health assessment. The doctor acknowledged him and waited for him to leave the room before returning to his husband, "you've got to go?"

"Yeah," Drew explained sadly, "but I'll send you an email when I should be available to video chat again. I'm sorry I have to cut this short."

"It's ok, I'm glad I got to see you."

"Me too… Rick, I might not be thrilled you got a dog, especially one so expensive but I hope he helps keep you company."

"He's a good replacement."

"Replacement?" Drew laughed, enjoying the brilliant smile that lit up his husband's gorgeous face. The soldier popped his head in the room again, telling Drew the Humvee had arrived while the doctor snapped and waved him off as the soldier hurried away.

"Stay safe, I love you."

"Always am, I love you too," with that Drew signed off and went to attend to the impending soldiers who needed his care. Throughout the week, he checked his messages and received various emails from his husband with photos of the pair, which brought an enormous smile to his face. Photos of Rick and Major going on a hike on the trail near their house, a picture of them enjoying drive-thru burgers in Rick's truck, Major destroying multiple toys in the backyard which made him question how he failed his training. But his favourite was a photo of the two of them curled up in bed, snuggled together under the covers, Major fast asleep while Rick didn't look like he was too far behind, looking far more relaxed than he had in a long time.

The dog may be a Major pain in the ass for Drew but the mutt could stick around because Drew would do anything to make his husband happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think!  
> Hopefully, you like it!  
> If you are waiting on my Adoption story I do apologise. I've had a rough month, I've recently quit my job and have been going through a lot with HR and internal workplace issues so its been very stressful so I wanted to write something cute and fun. Hopefully, I can get my butt in gear and write something soon.


End file.
